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#081. Curiosa (1)
Ray looked back immediately.
A pure white mask reminiscent of a ghost.
A black cloth extends from the back of the mask and wraps around the entire body.
As soon as the image of the opponent entered his retina, Ray grabbed Veronica’s wrist and pulled her back.
Ghost Mask continued to look up at the sky, paying no attention to Ray’s reaction.
“I should have caught it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Whether male or female.
Whether a child or an adult.
A strange voice that no one can understand.
Who the hell is it?
Where did you get in the way again?
It was clear that Veronica and I were the only ones in the empty lot.
“If I had rushed at it, it would have shattered into pieces and turned into an ice statue.”
The ghost mask continued to talk to himself.
The mask had two black circles for its eyes and a single black line for its mouth, slowing down like a child’s scribble.
There didn’t seem to be any holes, so I couldn’t figure out how to see ahead.
“Oh, right. This issue is equally important.”
Only then did Ghost Mask turn his gaze to Ray.
“No matter how I look at it, I can’t understand it. How can such a state of emotionlessness be possible when you’re not even a homunculus? What is your true identity, kid?”
The Ghost Mask is closing in on the distance with threatening strides.
Accordingly, Ray and Veronica also took steps back to distance themselves.
“In addition, he showed that he could even manipulate people’s emotions.”
“… … .”
“That’s a technique that only a father, no, a doctor, can do.”
What on earth is it?
Doctor? Homunculus?
Also, the other person was talking as if he knew all the secrets I had.
Ray looked at his opponent’s bowl with strong curiosity.
“Oh…? Are you feeling emotional again now…?”
‘… the ratio of emotions is abnormal.’
What filled the opponent’s entire bowl was lavender mana.
A strange phenomenon that could never occur in nature.
That’s exactly what it felt like.
‘When I injected artificial emotions into Skyle.’
And when the natural emotions were also induced, the entire vessel was filled with golden mana.
okay.
It felt exactly the same as back then.
“And you even have a ring. What on earth is going on?”
Suddenly the mask started spinning.
In the form of the face being upside down.
“Oh, your face is turned. Like, a dartboard…”
Veronica looked as if she might faint at any moment at the sight of the bizarre sight of her neck, which seemed to have no vertebrae.
Ray also became more alert.
However, there was another reason more important than the opponent’s bizarre appearance.
‘There are four rings.’
The Ghost Mask had four rings.
“An average wizard stays in Circle 1 for his entire life. With luck and skill, he can reach Circle 2.”
I remembered Michael’s story.
The average number of graduates from Matap is 1 circle.
The average number of professors at Matap is 3 circles.
“More than that… I heard that the president of the Magic Tower is from the 4th Circle. I’ve never actually met him though, because he’s such a busy person.”
Of all the people I’ve ever fought directly, the strongest opponent was Walter.
2 Circle, with just that, you had to make a lot of preparations, such as setting up a magic circle to subdue your opponent.
But it’s 4 circles.
‘There’s no chance of winning.’
Depending on what the other person thinks, you may not be able to survive in this place.
But I didn’t feel any sense of crisis.
The moment the purple mana that filled the opponent’s bowl was recalled along with the corresponding emotion.
Because I just came up with a really great way to turn things around.
Bam.
As Ray and Veronica were taking a step back, something touched their backs.
It was a mercenary vehicle.
There was nowhere else to retreat.
Reine whispered.
“If a fight breaks out, run straight to our car. Drive the vehicle and get out of here.”
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“… Okay. Okay.”
The opponent stopped rotating his mask and looked down at me as he spoke.
“Kid, answer the question. First, how do you have Walter’s ring?”
Walter.
The moment he heard the name, Ray knew that the Ghost Mask was someone related to Murkred.
‘There might be some special magic attached to the ring.’
Since arriving at Sector 48, I have never exposed the ring in my arms to the outside world.
Since Ghost Mask could not have seen the ring with his own eyes, he must have noticed its existence through some other means.
“Kid, are you pretending to be mute? If you don’t open your mouth, something big will happen.”
“… … .”
“I told you to answer? Huh? Answer quickly.”
“… … .”
The ghost mask was silent for a moment.
and.
“Answer me. Answer me. Answer me. Answer me. Answer me. Answer me. Answer me. Quickly. Answer me. Before I tear you to pieces.”
The voice suddenly boiled over.
Every time I spit out a word, my body trembled as if I was on drugs.
The word that immediately came to mind was mana addiction.
Cedric and Walter, who were falling into mana addiction, also showed emotional instability.
“If you don’t answer right now─”
“Kill him.”
“huh?”
“If you want to kill me, then go ahead and kill me.”
Ghost Mask was silent at Ray’s unexpected words.
But that was only for a moment.
“Right now. It seems like you don’t know your own position.”
The murderous aura that emanated from the Ghost Mask’s entire body covered all directions.
It was such a thick murderous atmosphere that it was difficult to even breathe properly.
Veronica’s face turned pale as she held on to Ray’s clothes from behind.
And then.
widely.
Ray’s hand reached out and grabbed Veronica’s hand.
“… … .”
Veronica’s breathing became much easier.
Ray continued speaking nonchalantly in the midst of the unimaginable murderous intent.
“I know your position very well. I am the only one who can answer all your questions. That is my position.”
“… … .”
“If you’re going to kill me, then kill me. Because anyone who answers my questions at that moment will never be able to open their mouths again.”
Ray’s words were full of conviction.
The emotion associated with the purple mana was curiosity.
curiosity.
A love of new and exciting things or a desire to know something you are curious about.
That was the definition I saw in the dictionary.
It was also an emotion that appeared when people asked questions or had new experiences.
‘If it’s curiosity of that size.’
Ray could be sure.
The other person is clearly in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if they went crazy right away, wanting to find answers to the countless questions that were blooming in their head.
Just as Skye, consumed by golden greed, unknowingly put the object in her bosom.
So the Ghost Mask can’t harm this side.
At least as long as I have the answer to the question.
“Why? Can’t you kill me? Are you afraid of not being able to solve the mystery?”
The body of the ghost mask trembled.
Soon an ear-piercing, shrill scream echoed through the empty lot.
How dare you──!
I don’t know the topic──!
Such shallow boasts──!
A fierce wind blew around the ghost mask.
At the same time, the surrounding vehicles began to rise and collapse into a single point in the air.
Kwajik! Kwajik! Kwajik!
The life has also become thicker.
but.
“It’s not a bluff.”
The boy was fine.
“You were talking to me like you were reading my emotions earlier. Do you think I’m bragging without any basis?”
“… … .”
Time passed in silence.
As the life went out, a fist-sized piece of scrap metal that had been a vehicle just moments ago fell to the ground.
“You… You…!”
A violent coughing fit.
Shoulders rising and falling with trembling.
But that was the end of it.
Ray could see that his prediction had been correct as he watched his opponent no longer attack.
My emotional state was extremely unstable.
It’s amazing that such a strong reaction can be elicited from just a little stimulation.
So now the next thing to say was decided.
“I ask the questions. You answer them.”
“You dare ask me a question?”
“If you don’t like it, you can kill me right here.”
Adddddddddd!──!
I could hear the sound of teeth grinding so loud that I thought they were going to break.
The waves of anger in the Ghost Mask’s vessel rapidly rose in level.
And the moment before the total amount of anger exceeds the total amount of curiosity.
“You’d better answer. If you answer, I’ll answer back.”
“… … .”
The anger subsided.
It’s calmed down a bit.
Curiosa seemed to think for a moment and then said.
“Are we going to exchange questions?”
“That’s correct.”
“That’s ridiculous. Okay, fine. I don’t know what you’re curious about, but if I answer one, you answer one─.”
“The exchange rate for questions is 4 to 1.”
“It’s good that you grasp the topic quickly. Yeah. If I answer one question, you answer four─.”
“I disagree.”
“이런 개새끼가.”
Curios’ anger exploded like a volcano again.
“If you don’t like the ratio, I’ll adjust it a little. 3 to 1. I absolutely cannot accept anything less than that.”
“… … .”
It sank again.
Curiosa, who seemed to be assessing the situation, was silent for a moment before speaking, breathing heavily.
“Whew… Alright. What are you curious about, kid?”
3 to 1.
It was an exchange rate that was satisfactory enough for Ray.
The expected exchange rate was 1 to 1 or 2 to 1, but the exchange rate was initially intentionally set high to see how it would fare.
“Just take ten steps back. Don’t come any closer.”
Curiosa followed the instructions obediently.
Ray, who had briefly examined Veronica’s condition, turned back to Curiosa.
‘It’s an opportunity to get information.’
I didn’t expect this to happen, but it was definitely an opportunity.
It’s also a chance to get information about Murkred.
As long as you have the initiative in the conversation and not the other person.
“First question. Tell me your identity.”
“Curiosa. The ring of Walter that you have. He is an executive of Murcred, which Walter belongs to.”
Before I could even say that lying wouldn’t work, the answer came back.
Curiosa shrugged.
“Let’s not waste each other’s time. Lying to each other won’t work. If you can read emotions, it’s easy to distinguish lies.”
Ray was silent for a moment and then said.
“My real name is Zephyr.”
“This little fu*king dog. I told you that lying like that is a waste of time.”
Curiosa certainly saw through this lie.
‘I can definitely sense the trembling of emotions in my bowl.’
Although it was a very small amount that was difficult to even identify, the boy’s bowl was filled with emotions.
The remains of emotions that were raised while using magic.
And when anyone tells a lie, the emotions in the bowl tend to tremble.
It was like a physiological phenomenon that inevitably occurs in living organisms.
“My real name is Rodson.”
“… … .”
“My real name is Humphrey.”
“… … .”
“My real name is Pale.”
“Kid. This is your final warning. You’d better not test me any more.”
I thought the confirmation kill should end here.
Ray chewed over the name his opponent had revealed.
‘Curiosara.’
It was one of the names of the children in the photo found in Walter’s basement.
And just now, the word came out that he was a member of Murcred’s executive team.
Have all the children in the photo become executives of Murcred?
Ray continued asking questions while organizing the information in his head.
“Good, I don’t have to worry about lying to each other. Second question. Where did you suddenly appear? Were you watching me the whole time?”
“The hidden place is John’s shadow. I watched every moment John met you. But at the end, I skipped over to the shadow of another corpse.”
“Third question. What was the purpose of hiding in John’s shadow?”
“To track down Blue, under the orders of the organization.”
“Blue?”
“End of questions, you cheeky little kid.”
The exchange rate for questions is 3 to 1.
Ray nodded.
“Okay. Ask your question.”
“Where should I start? I have so many questions. Hmm. Hmm. Okay. That would be a good question.”
Curiosa, who had been spinning around, stopped and asked.
“How come you have Walter’s ring?”
A question that was already recognized through Curiosa’s monologue.
But Ray hesitated for a moment.
‘Walter is no different from the one I killed. And Curiosa and Walter are executives of the same organization.’
In other words, you can call them colleagues.
How will Curiosa react when the truth is told?
In a normal case, he would be very angry and shout for revenge for his colleague.
Surely the total amount of anger will exceed the total amount of curiosity.
But Ray, remembering one fact, took a breath and parted his lips.
“I killed him.”